COMMON PARTRIDGE. 255 



beneath the shelter of a hedge or low bush, but some- 

 times in the open fields amongst the long grass or by 

 the roadside. It consists of a mere hollow in the 

 ground, lined with a few leaves and bits of grass. 



Partridges are very regular in their feeding habits. 

 The middle of the day is their principal feeding-time, 

 when they resort to the turnip fields and roots for 

 maggots or for the green tops. They also feed upon 

 grain, insects, ants and their eggs, and berries. 



They are very fond of dusting themselves, probably 

 to get rid of the numerous parasitical insects which 

 often infest them. 



These birds seem very fearless in the breeding 

 season, sitting so close as to frequently allow them- 

 selves to be touched before they will leave the nest ; 

 possibly they rely on the protective colour of their 

 plumage to escape detection. Montague relates that 

 one allowed itself, and eggs, to be deposited in a hat, 

 and thus carried off unresistingly in captivity, where 

 it continued to sit until the young ones were hatched. 



We had a nest, two years ago, placed against the 

 wall of the science laboratory at Queenwood, where 

 boys were constantly passing and repassing at all 

 hours of the day. By opening a window one could 

 put one's hand on the eggs. The bird, knowing her 

 movements were watched, carefully covered her eggs 

 every morning with leaves, while she was laying, until 

 there were nine in the nest, when nervousness got the 

 better of her, and to every one's regret she deserted. 



The young will run about almost as soon as hatched, 

 and may often be seen with the old mother in the 

 midst like a hen with a flock of chicks looking about 

 for food. 



The general colour of the upper parts of the Par- 



